Tennis

The world number one holds no grudges heading into the mixed team event nearly two years after being refused entry to the country over his stance on Covid-19 vaccinations.

Players at January's Australian Open will be competing for a record prize pool with organisers Friday announcing a 13 percent boost in the total purse to Aus$86.5 million (US$59.0 million).

TPL season 5 will also feature a charcoal-coloured court in all the matches for the first time ever in India, as the league continues to innovate to add to the experience of the spectators.

Australia came back from a tie down to beat the Czech Republic 2-1 and set up a Davis Cup semi-final clash against Finland.

Bhosale, who had won the mixed doubles gold at Hangzhou Asian Games, will face fellow Indian Smriti Bhasin in the opening round of the USD 25000 event.

Italian Sinner got the beating of Medvedev 6-3, 6-7 (4), 6-1 to progress to the championship match of the year-end tournament for the eight top ranked players in Turin.

Andrey Rublev grew so frustrated during his loss to Carlos Alcaraz at the ATP Finals on Wednesday that he repeatedly hit himself with his racket so hard that he bloodied his left knee.

Martina Trevisan and Jamine Paolini won their singles clashes against Slovenia. to help Italy book their place in the Billie Jean King Cup final.

The Czech Republic won a heavyweight clash against the United States with a deciding doubles victory sending them through to the Billie Jean King Cup semifinals in Seville on Friday.

Spanish world number two Alcaraz had been given a bye in the first round but had no answer to Russian qualifier Roman Safiullin who eased through 6-3, 6-4.

Poland's Iga Swiatek and Hubert Hurkacz are the top seed with Stefanos Tsitsipas and Maria Sakkari of Greeceare second in the United Cup.

Tunisian star Jabeur, the losing finalist at Wimbledon for the past two years, was downed 6-7 (4/7), 7-5, 6-3 by the unseeded Trevisan, currently ranked 54th in the world.

Djokovic reclaimed his spot at the top after his 24th Grand Slam win by beating Daniil Medvedev in straight sets.

Sabalenka arguably had the best season of any player this year on the WTA Tour this year; reaching at least the semifinals in all four majors, winning her first Grand Slam singles title at the Australian Open, three singles titles overall.

Keys, a US Open finalist in 2017, produced a disciplined performance to clinch a 6-1, 6-4 victory in 1hr 26min on the Arthur Ashe Stadium, and will now play second seed Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus on Thursday for a place in the final.

Muchova overpowered Cirstea in a 6-0, 6-3 straight sets victory in 1hr 38min on the Arthur Ashe Stadium court as the Czech 10th seed advanced to the last four of the women's event.